


Fully Engaged

by LizAnn_5869



Series: Life, Or What Happens When You're Busy Making Other Plans [17]
Category: Broadchurch
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Fluff, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-01
Updated: 2015-05-22
Packaged: 2018-03-26 16:08:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3856813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LizAnn_5869/pseuds/LizAnn_5869
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alec has plans for his camping trip with Ellie.  He has to resort to plan B when events conspire against him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This follows my story Engaging Conversation . ( Note the rating change to Mature.)

Ellie was a little later getting back from Beth's than she had expected due to Fred suddenly having a bout of separation anxiety when he realized he was staying and she was going. Even knowing Tom would be there didn't help. They were spending two nights there so Alec and Ellie could take a quick camping trip. So by the time they got on the road to a campground twenty five miles inland, they were starting a lot later than they wanted to. Dusk was approaching. 

And then Alec hit the steering wheel and swore loudly. The car had been acting wonky lately so Ellie thought it was that at first. "Forgot somethin'," he grumbled. His burr was even thicker than usual and that usually indicated a bout of nerves, which baffled Ellie. Why would be so upset about forgetting something?

"Unless it's the bloody tent or the food, I say keep going," Ellie said.

Alec had already pulled into a long gravel drive and was waiting for a couple of cars to pass before he turned around. "Need to go back," he growled.

"Why? What is it?" He was waiting for a final car to pass by, but that car decided to turn into the driveway just before the one they were in.

 

"It's called a freakin' turn signal," Alec grumbled. "You should cite 'em."

"I'm not in traffic anymore, you knob.What's so important we have to travel back?" Alec was backing out by then.

"Don't worry about it!"

"Could we just get it at the gas station we passed?" Ellie was completely flummoxed. 

"No. Don't worry about it!" He sprayed a bit of gravel onto the road as he drove off toward Broadchurch.

"Well, don't act so pissy about it!" 

"I'm not!" He sped up a bit and the check engine light flickered off and on again. He swore again. 

Ellie said something under her breath that might have been "wanker" then crossed her arms. "I just don't get the secrecy!"

"Don't worry about it!" He repeated for the third time. Ellie gave him a glare and then stared out the window. Well, this weekend was getting off to a roaring start.

Ten minutes later they lurched to a stop outside their shared home. "Stay here," Hardy ordered as he exited the car. Then leaned back in to accept the proffered house keys from Ellie. He broke a speed record dashing into the house, up the stairs, and into their room. He jerked open the drawer in which he kept his jumpers and pawed through it quickly. Hardy had a minor panic attack until he found the small square box he was searching for. Relieved, he pocketed it and dashed back down, stopping to lock the door securely. He took a moment to marvel that he really wasn't all that winded (pacemaker tech at its best) and then hurried back to Ellie. Less than five minutes later he was back in the car, where Ellie had put in a Proclaimers CD. "Sorted, are we?" she asked, eyebrow raised. Alec still had a bit of a deer in the headlights look about him. He put the car into drive, the engine stuttered a bit then smoothed out, and they were on their way at last. 

"All sorted," he said, looking uncharacteristically cheery, given the grumping he'd been doing for the last fifteen minutes. 

They arrived at the campsite without any further incident. The next incident would apparently be saved for unpacking the car. Tom and Alec had packed the car the night before when she was at work, so other than loading the coolers Ellie hadn't seen what he packed. "The tent is still in the box," Ellie observed. "You and Tom didn't set it up beforehand to check it out?" 

"Between work and football we didn't have time," he answered. "It'll be fine."

It wasn't. 

Their late start and return trip home had gotten them to the campsite later than expected so they were beginning the tent construction at dusk. And dark was coming fast.

They had bought the new tent so they would have one that fit Alec, Ellie and Fred. Daisy and Tom had their own pup tents. The new tent was the type with the poles attached. One clipped the poles into place, then the tent was up. It was very easy. That's how it should have gone.

It didn't.

When the tent was mostly up, Ellie discovered that the last pole wouldn't lock into place. "It won't snap," she muttered, trying again. No click. Alec's head popped up from the other side of the tent where he was sorting out the rain fly. He had a small torch in his mouth since his hands were otherwise engaged.

"Wha-?" He said around the torch.

"I'm tellin' you it won't snap!" Ellie was close to snapping, however.

"What the-" Alec marched over and took her place, apparently planning on the DI Hardy demeanor to scare the pole into submission. Three attempts and several dark Scottish curses later the pole still wasn't submitting.

"What do we do now? I can't believe you two didn't check it!" Ellie was hungry and angry and Alec was seeing his plans dissolving before his eyes. 

"Between chauffeuring the boys to football and work I didn't have time! You could have checked it!" he griped.

"You told me you would!" she shouted.

"Well I didn't!" he barked.

"No shit, Sherlock!" She paced away from the tent then stalked back to where Alec had begun the struggle anew.

"Do you wanna just go home?" She asked.

"Do you?"

"We can't sleep in the car," Ellie said. 

"Wanna get a motel? I'm not wasting a babysitter. There was one about five miles before the turn off. It didn't look like the one in Psycho."

"Much," she snickered.

In ten minutes they were packed again, behind the wheel, and ready to go.

The car wasn't.

The second big disappointment occurred when the engine wouldn't even turn over. The third occurred when neither had cell phone service. It was too dark to hike. 

So the tent came back out. They did what they could to rig the broken pole, and Ellie sorted out their first night picnic while Alec inflated the air mattress by the light of the torch. "I reckon we can hike to the road in the morning. I'll bet we can get a signal there. Then we can call....someone. Olly or Mark, to jumpstart it," Alec said. His voice was rather flat, as if he was deflating as the mattress inflated.

"Best call Mark because I don't think Olly has a set of jumper cables. Or has ever touched them," Ellie advised. "Come on, tuck in." She had coaxed a little campfire to life and Alec dropped into the folding camp chair next to Ellie's. He accepted his sandwich and beer and leaned back in his seat, sighing heavily. 

"Sorry we didn't check the tent," he finally mumbled.

"The tent hasn't fallen over yet. I don't think it will. You're right- you were runnin' all week. You didn't get a chance. So, we'll be fine. You know me, as long as I'm not sleepin' on the wet ground, I'm okay." 

Alec knew she was telling the truth. He had plans, and things were going completely wrong. He had hoped for...well, anyway, time for plan B. "Well, we're not wastin' Beth's babysitting services. We'll do something else for tomorrow night. I'm not takin' you home yet," he said with a small smile. She smiled back but the smile morphed into a large yawn. Working late last night and early that morning clearing cold case files had worn her out. 

"S'cuse me, I'm knackered," she said just as he joined her in a yawn. "It's after ten and I'm about to turn into a pumpkin." They decided then to turn in. They crashed on the air mattress under the fleece blankets. The mattress did not immediately burst and deflate or even develop a slow leak, and Alec decided they were at least ahead of the game on that. He spooned up to Ellie's back and they dozed off quickly.

*******

About three hours of semi-fitful sleep later, the interior of the tent was cold and damp and Ellie had the distinct impression that she was being subjected to water torture.

"Dammit!" she cried out as she brushed against the now partially collapsed wall of their tent, and most of her left side was left damp.

Alec startled awake, heart racing but normalizing quickly as he stared at his partner fighting with the side of the tent, pushing it away from her. The movement caused droplets to rain down from the celing. It wasn't raining- it was an ungodly amount of condensation everywhere inside their tent. 

Ellie muttered angrily, "Well, son of a bitch! I'm all...." She tried to come up with a suitable word, ".... dewy!"

That was the tipping point for Alec. The late arrival, his plans, the tent, the car, the phones....and now Dewy Ellie. The laughter bubbled up within him and he could not contain himself. He was not a man who laughed uproariously at anything much. He could get up a good chuckle at Fred's antics, or Tom's dry sense of humor. He laughed a lot more now since becoming involved with Ellie. She had a way of catching him off guard with a comment or observation and he would laugh. However, a gut busting laugh was not something he usually did. 

Until now. Ellie's shocked surprise and wide eyed stare just made it worse. He was teetering on the edge of going into "silent laugh mode." 

"What are you going on about?" she blurted, but her eyes were twinkling now too and the corners of her mouth were turning up into a smile quite of their own accord.

For Alec, it was silent laugh mode achieved. Ellie was over the edge in record time and both of them were giddy with laughter under condensation dampened blankets in a defective tent. They were clutching at each other and guffawing. Tears were starting to flow a bit. Alec's side hurt and he let go of Ellie and rolled onto his back, attempting to compose himself. Laughter kept bursting forth.

"This is so ridiculous!" Ellie gasped, wiping her eyes and then breaking up all over again. 

Alec was still laughing, but calming down. He thought she looked amazing, with her brilliant smile and teary eyes. "I haven't laughed like that in ages," he said. All of a sudden in a partially collapsed wet tent at two in the morning, the moment had never been so perfect. He had attempted to compose speeches and rejected them all outright and so he had no idea what he was actually going to say when the moment arrived. "I love you. Marry me, Ellie?" 

Her laughter tapered off as she processed what he had just asked her. Ellie's eyes widened and she found herself quite literally breathless. She knew he was expecting a response but the only sound coming out of her throat were some very undignified squeaks. 

Alec went on, "I love you and your boys and I want your family to be my family. I know we had a horrible start but my life with you is amazin' now and......" 

"Oh, shut up," she said, crying for real now, "Yes. Of course, yes. You're already my family, Alec Hardy. Of course I'll marry you." 

He gave her a brilliant- eye crinkling smile. She pulled him to her for a searing kiss. They kissed each other breathless until he pulled away after sucking on her bottom lip a bit. "Wait- wait a minute," he panted out. He rolled away and fished around on the floor of the tent for the jeans he had been wearing earlier. (He'd stripped down to his boxer briefs for comfort and he now vaguely realized he was freezing a bit.). He found the jeans, and his hand dove into a pocket to bring up a small box. "I really was going to ask you tonight but things didn't go quite as planned, of course."

She sniffed and wiped her eyes again. "They never do. But what a story we have to tell, right?"

Alec's hand was shaking as he grabbed a torch, "So you can actually see it," he said. He handed her the torch, then opened the ring box with shaking hands. Ellie gasped at the white gold band topped with an emerald cut diamond. He'd seen it at a jewlery store a month before with Daisy. "It's even got matching wedding bands...if you want that."

"I love it," she whispered as he slid it onto her ring finger. Alec kissed her hand. "I love you." Those were words they said every day to each other but never taken lightly. "Is this what you went back for?" 

"It was. See why I could't just stop at the gas station?" 

She chuckled. "I get the secrecy now." Ellie cupped his cheek, and he immediately nuzzled into her hand. She slid her hand around to the back of his head and pulled him toward her again. The kiss began slowly, languidly, and began to build in intensity. Alec gently rolled them so his body hovered over hers. His hands traveled down her sides and glided under the hem of the rock band t-shirt she wore (which was his). He settled in between her thighs and she pulled him down to her, hips rocking together as his lips moved down her neck.

"Oh..." she gasped.....and then found herself blinking furiously as water droplets dislodged by their movements dropped in her eye. "Dammit!" 

Lips removed from her neck, Alec's head popped up to look her in the eye. He felt some drops on the back of his head. Laughter and frustrated arousal were fighting for supremacy on his face.

"Really, it couldn't get any..."

Alec cut her off before she could say "worse." Chuckling, he advised, "That is not a sentence either of us should ever say."

Ellie started giggling. Alec, always thinking, had a brilliant idea and his eyebrow raised suggestively. "What?" Ellie chortled.

"Wanna go behave like randy teenagers?"

Mere minutes later they were sprinting barefoot across the wet grass to their car. Ellie was grateful that she had dropped off Fred's car seat. "The bloody car will be good for somethin' this weekend," Alec proclaimed. He slid across the back seat, tossed the Hot Wheels he inadvertently sat on to the floor. Ellie clambered in after him, shutting the door and immediately straddling Alec's hips. He pulled her down firmly into his lap and rocked into her. She moaned at the the feel of him. They snogged slowly and deeply and then his hands were under her borrowed shirt, thumbs stoking gentle orbits over stiff peaks as he continued thrusting against her. Ellie found herself on the edge of coming apart from his touch alone. He whispered words of love in her ear and the feel of him and sound of his voice did send her over, crying out. There in the darkened car he thought he'd never seen anything lovelier. After that it was just a matter of shifting clothes about and they joined, rocking and moving together with a delicious friction. Soon they were crying out together, his face buried in the crook of her neck. His scruff felt heavenly against her skin as they breathed together. She could feel his strong heartbeat through his t-shirt. The car windows were very satisfyingly fogged up.

 

They spent the rest of the night in the car, which possibly wasn't the most comfortable idea they could have had. When the sun rose they opened bleary eyes and decided that they would spend that night in their own bed after all, but the boys could continue their sleepover at the Latimers' house. They were enjoying this little pocket of time together, when they were the only ones holding the knowledge of their engagement . Soon enough the children would know and of course the town would know, but for now it was lovely to keep that secret between the two of them. 

They made a little breakfast fry up with a skillet on the fire-pit grate. While they ate Alec shared the story of Daisy catching him window shopping for rings. Ellie was delighted, both by the situation Alec had found himself in, and also Daisy's enthusiasm. She already thought of Daisy as a daughter. Sharing parental duties with Tess would be even more daunting as Alec's wife but Daisy was so worth it. 

Ellie told Alec about discussing their new family situation with Tom and that he was on board as well. No where near the level of Daisy's enthusiasm but still agreeable. They weren't sure if Fred knew they weren't married quite yet. 

They were glad they left the duffle with the rest of their clothes in the car, having packed it when they thought they were going to leave. Hand in hand they hiked up the road away from their campsite and found a spot where there was a cellphone signal. Alec called Mark, who not only had jumper cables but was between plumbing jobs and had time to run by. Ellie sat in the grass in the sun while Alec gave Mark directions to their campsite. Mark was familiar with it, having taken Tom and Danny there before.

Ellie sat cross-legged in the sun. She turned her face to the sun, closing her eyes. It was late spring and there was a still a hint of a chill in the air. The sun held a bit of heat though and it felt heavenly. Content to let her mind drift a bit, she thought about how much they gone through to get to this point. They had gone through hell at the beginning, had gotten through it, and come out stronger on the other side. If asked about ever marrying after Joe's arrest, she would have answered with a resounding "no". She would never put that much trust in another person. Then she realized that all along, through the end of the murder investigation, through Sandbrook, she already had been putting that trust in Alec. On this day, with a cool breeze ruffling her curls and a warm sun on her face, she realized she wasn't just content, she was at peace. 

Ellie opened her eyes, watching the play of the light on the diamond engagement ring. It was her first proper look at it. She loved it. He (and apparently Daisy) had chosen well. Rainbow colored flashes twinkled in the sunlight. 

"I never would have pegged you for someone who was so easily distracted by shiny objects." Alec was gazing down at her with a chuffed smile. She took his outstretched hand and stood up, dusting off her faded jeans. "I only get distracted by the best ones," she grinned. 

Mark was on his way so the DI and his new fiancée made their way back to their campsite. They were packed up by the time Mark and Nige arrived in the plumbing van. It took a few tries to jump the car, but when it finally started they were able to start traveling. They made it home in time for a nice lunch and a long nap in their own comfortable bed in a quiet house. It wouldn't be quiet for long, especially once the engagement became public knowledge, but for now, they enjoyed the peace and quiet of being the only ones who knew.

 

.


	2. Epilogue- Sunday Morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I thought "Fully Engaged" was finished, I liked where I left it, but then I kept thinking about Tom and Daisy and wee Fred and how they'd react.

They woke early Sunday, missing the kids. They had spent a lovely Saturday, (after packing up their disaster of a camping trip and getting a new battery for the car), home together resting, and loving and just enjoying their secret together. Alec would catch her staring at her ring and chuckle. Ellie would tell him to "shut up," and neither one could stop smiling.

However, they were missing the boys and Alec really wanted to call Daisy. They got ready and hurried through a little breakfast and drove into Broadchurch.

They heard Fred's squeal through the open front window of the Latimer house as they got out the car. Fred was trying to get out the front door as they strode up the front walk. They heard Beth's voice and then the door opened and a Fred shaped rocket blasted off from the front porch. Beth followed soon after with Lizzie on her hip. 

Alec caught the little projectile in mid flight and hauled him up for a kiss on the cheek and then Fred was wriggling toward Ellie, who snatched him for a big hug. 

"Hi...looks like someone's happy!" Beth meant Fred but then her sharp eyes caught a sparkle in the sunlight. She grabbed Ellie's left hand and her eyes got huge.

Alec and Ellie glanced at each other, grinning. Beth briefly thought how smiling looked good on Hardy, then Ellie was talking. "We obviously haven't told the kids yet...."

"Not a word. And I am so happy for both of you," Beth said. A look passed between the three. It had taken a long time for all of them to get to this point. Alec and Ellie weren't the only ones to go through hell and come out stronger on the other side. 

The moment ended as Tom and Chloe came out of the house, Tom swinging the duffle of things they had brought for the weekend over his shoulder. He submitted to a cheek kiss from his mother and a hair ruffle from Alec. Ellie was a bit amused to notice that Tom was oblivious to the ring. They thanked Beth for her hospitality, reinstalled Fred's car seat and then headed back to their house.

Once home, Tom asked "So how did you like the tent?"

They responded with laughter and Ellie told him about the recalcitrant tent pole, and how they came home early. Then she glanced at Alec, who nodded, and said, "We have some news for you two...and Daisy, and Alec's going to call her soon. We're getting married, Alec and me. That was his big plan for the camping trip."

"Well, I kinda figured that," Tom said.

"Really?" Ellie asked.

"Well, yeah. We talked about how it might happen...and then Daisy told me about that ring....."

Alec interrupted, "Daisy told you?!"

"Well, she had to tell somebody," Tom reasoned. 

Alec rolled his eyes. Of course she did. "She picked a good person to confide in." 

"Yeah," Tom said. "I told her then...and I'll tell you now, I'm glad Mum's happy. And I know you'll never hurt her. You'll never hurt any of us. I might have thought it was weird at first but I don't anymore. You're our family too." It was a huge speech for Tom. It brought tears to Ellie's eyes and Alec found himself swallowing hard around a lump in his throat. Ellie embraced her son tightly, until he stepped away and found himself pulled into another hug by Alec. 

"Thanks, son," Alec said. Fred had entered the room by then and he was pulling on Alec's jeans leg. He did not like to be left out of the hug so Alec picked him up and gave him a squeeze. "I need to call Daisy- or video chat or something. She wanted me to take you to Paris to propose. She'll never let me live a camping disaster down." 

"Wow, Paris? Don't be worried, love, I really don't like French food, so you're safe. Do a video chat, I want to show her the ring," Ellie requested.

"Hasn't she already seen it?" Tom mumbled. He was of the option that they'd seen it once, why make a big deal. Ellie hoped he was a little more enthusiastic for his future fiancée. 

"How the hell...." Hardy had his phone out and was looking puzzled until Tom showed him how to initiate the video call. It always amazed Tom that smartphones still flummoxed Hardy, but he didn't mind being tech support. A few seconds later, Daisy appeared on the phone screen. 

"Hi, Dad?" She said. It was unusual to get a video chat from her dad.

"Daisy! Daisy!" Fred yelled when he saw one of his favorite people appear on the screen.

"Hi Freddy! What's up?"

"Something to show you and tell you, Darlin'," Alec told his daughter and already she was giggling and bouncing a bit. "Oh, you think you know what it is, do you?"

"I hope," she said.

Ellie held her left hand up to the phone. A couple of seconds later there was a loud teenage girl squeal of joy. Alec caught Ellie's eye over the phone and they both grinned. "Looks like you did well, Hardy."

"It's the one we saw! When are you gonna get married?"

"We haven't set a date yet, Darlin. One thing at a time," Alec told her.

"I have a wedding board on Pinterest already, Ellie," Daisy informed her. Alec looked like he was hearing a foreign language. "It was mostly for me, you know, thinking ahead, but..."

"Wow! I'd love to look at with you," Ellie said, grinning from ear to ear. 

They talked for a while longer. Daisy was predictably appalled about a camping trip proposal. "No way, Dad! Are you kidding? Ellie's a keeper to put up with that!' Daisy blurted.

"Oi!" Alec protested.

"I am a keeper, I really am," Ellie giggled, beginning to laugh like she guffawed in the tent. Tom joined her. Alec didn't know whether to be offended or elated. He decided to be elated. He had this new family, after all. He could put up with a little ribbing.

When the conversation ended Daisy told them, "I'm so happy for you both. Love you!"

They ended the call and Ellie gave Alec a happy kiss. "Soppy," Tom muttered.

"Don't care," Ellie responded.

"So what's a wedding board and should I be worried? Why does she need one?" 

"I was the same way- I fantasized about my dream wedding long before I ever dated. The only difference is I didn't have the Internet, I had a notebook where I glued magazine pictures."

"Again, do I need to be worried?"

Ellie laughed. "No, I'm over that now. I was hoping for a small wedding. I've already done the white dress. Just want to be married to you. I'm fine with small."

"We could elope."

"I'll consider it." Ellie said. "We'd have to take the kids, though."

"Yeah...I couldn't imagine not having them there." He wrapped his arms around her. "We'll figure it out.We always do. Don't want to wait too long, though." He kissed the top of her head.

"Soppy," Tom muttered again, smirking.

"Again, don't care," Ellie answered back. "No, I don't want to wait long either."

"So...the kids know. Beth knows. Anyone else to tell?" 

"Oh, bloody hell, I guess I better call Lucy. Now there's a reason to elope...." Ellie rolled her eyes and Hardy chuckled. "She'll be pissed if she hears it through the grapevine. Really, she'll just be pissed in any case......" Lucy had never been on board with this relationship. Alec found he really didn't care, nor did Ellie. 

Many people they knew supported them but there were a few who believed Joe went free because they were having an affair. Ellie had no time for them or their opinions. She knew the truth, the people who mattered most knew the truth and that's all she needed. It was a real relief to let it go, and know she didn't have to please everyone. The important people were right there, and when Daisy could be there the family felt complete. Ellie saw complete love and trust in him, and Alec saw unwavering love and trust in her. The future could start any time now, as far as they both were concerned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've enjoyed getting these two engaged, now I think I will bounce back to the beginning of their relationship. I think the reason I "ship" these two so much is because I love the idea of two people who have been through so much falling in love and forming a new family. Right now it's all about the fluff. Hopefully I can work up a mystery for them and maybe a bit of angst. Just expect some falling in love fluff for a while yet.

**Author's Note:**

> The tent misadventures actually happened to my husband, boys and myself on a Cub Scout camping trip. Nice to know that dumb defective tent at least inspired a plot! (Yeah, we didn't check it first either.)


End file.
